Water bearing sands around irrigation wells often become clogged with formations comprised of carbonates (usually manganese or calcium), as well as iron and hydroxides. The clogging of the sands as described above is ordinarily called encrustation. Encrustation of the water bearing sands seriously reduces the productivity or capacity of the well and many attempts have been made to treat these wells with acid to bring the carbonates, etc. into solution so that the well will no longer be clogged. Surfactants (wetting agents) have also been used in an attempt to facilitate the breakdown of the carbonates.
In the conventional treatment of the wells, it has been necessary to pull the well (pump apparatus) from the casing. Dynamite has also been used in an attempt to force the acid into the formations but the top of the well must be sealed when this is done. Additionally, dry ice has been dumped into the wells with the well then being sealed so that the carbon dioxide will create pressure to force the acid bearing water into the sands.
The above-described methods have been generally satisfactory but are time consuming and expensive due to the need for removing the pump apparatus from the casing. Further, the existing methods do not achieve desirable efficiency.
Therefore, it is a principal object of the invention to provide an improved method and means for forcing an acid-water mixture into water bearing sands around an irrigation well or the like.
A further object of the invention is to provide a method and means for chemically treating water wells by means of heat injection and impact.
A further object of the invention is to provide a method and means for chemically treating water wells which does not require that the pump apparatus be removed from the well.
A further object of the invention is to provide a method and means for treating water wells which efficiently reduce the encrustation of water bearing sands around a water well.
A still further object of the invention is to provide a method and means for chemically treating water wells which is efficient and economically practical.
These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.